Bayer announces Otto Bayer Medal award

Bayer has announced the recognition of a number scientists within the firm with the Otto Bayer Medal for their achievements in three research projects.

The medal is given to those who have conducted successful research work in relation to new applications and products.

In Bayer HealthCare, the medal was awarded to a group of scientists led by Dr Johannes-Peter Stasch for their work in soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) as a new therapeutic opportunity in cardiovascular disease.

The team identified two development candidates with a novel mechanism, the first being an sGC activator for treating acute heart failure and the second an sGC stimulator for pulmonary hypertension.

Both drugs are currently undergoing phase IIb clinical trials, with phase III studies forecast to start before the end of the year.

Werner Wenning, chairman of the board of management of Bayer, said: “The results produced by our researchers and developers are a cornerstone of our international competitiveness.”

He added that the development of its new healthcare products and its promising product pipeline underscore the robustness of the innovative strength at the company.

Earlier this week, Bayer announced the submission of recombinant human thrombin (thrombin alfa) to the European Medicines Agency as a treatment for the control of surgical bleeding.